Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for supporting the development of a parallel/distributed application, wherein the development process comprises a design phase, an implementation phase and a test phase. A script language can be provided in the design phase for representing elements of a connectivity graph and the connectivity between them. In the implementation phase, modules can be provided for implementing functionality of the application, executors can be provided for defining a type of execution for the modules, and process-instances can be provided for distributing the application over several computing devices. In the test phase, abstraction levels can be provided for monitoring and testing the application.

Abstract: A supporting head is provided with binaural artificial ears. Each binaural artificial ear comprises an auricle-shaped structure and a microphone. In order to enhance auditory localization cues, at least an upper part of the head is provided with an acoustically dampening surface.

Abstract: A robotic controller using schemata, the schemata being a set of parameterized sequences of motor commands in order to make a robot to achieve a set goal, the parameters of the sequences being gained from the state variables of the robotic controller, a robotic controller comprising an interface for supplying sensory input to the robotic controller. A schemata state memory (1) structure supplied with either input from a schemata recognition module (4) or input from an inverse model module (2) or combinations of them. An inverse model module (2) for generating motor commands based on state variables and stored schemata, a forward model module (3) for predicting state variables based on state variables and stored schemata, and a schemata recognition module (4) for selecting a schemata based on supplied state variables of the robot controlled by the robotic controller.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a post-processing method of a modulation envelope resulting from an interference of two harmonics in a filter band. According to one embodiment, the method comprising filtering the modulation envelope with a band-pass filter bank, wherein a combination of demodulation and application of the band-pass filter on the modulation envelope enables use of identical techniques for resolved and unresolved harmonics. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of determining whether a frequency band of an input signal includes unresolved harmonics. According to a further embodiment, in response to a determination that the frequency band includes unresolved harmonics, the method comprises obtaining a modulation envelope of the frequency band by demodulating the frequency band, obtaining one or more frequency bands from the modulation envelope, and determining an evidence value that one of the frequency bands originates from one of fundamental frequencies.

Abstract: A method for sound source localization comprises the steps of computing an envelope of a signal; performing a non-linear, onset preserving smoothing of the envelope; and evaluating cues for sound source localization, using the points where the smoothing changes from its rising phase to its falling phase as measurement points.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining the time course of the fundamental frequency of harmonic signals, wherein the input signal is split into different frequency channels by band pass filters. Distances between crossings of different orders are determined, and a histogram of all these distance values for each instant in time is calculated. The distance values build a peak at the distance corresponding to the fundamental frequency. An example application of this technique is separation of acoustic sound sources in monaural recordings based on their underlying fundamental frequency. Application of these techniques, however, is not limited to the field of acoustics. These techniques can also be applied to other signals such as those originating from pressure sensors.

Abstract: A method and system for obtaining a pool of speech syllable models. The model pool is generated by first detecting a training segment using unsupervised speech segmentation or speech unit spotting. If the model pool is empty, a first speech syllable model is trained and added to the model pool. If the model pool is not empty, an existing model is determined from the model pool that best matches the training segment. Then the existing module is scored for the training segment. If the score is less than a predefined threshold, a new model for the training segment is created and added to the pool. If the score equals the threshold or is larger than the threshold, the training segment is used to improve or to re-estimate the model.

Abstract: The fundamental frequency of a harmonic signal is estimated by forming a fundamental frequency hypothesis (f0?). A comb filter is provided based on the fundamental frequency hypothesis. The harmonic signal is filtered using the comb filter. The fundamental frequency hypothesis is tested for each tooth in the comb filter. A signal indicating an estimated fundamental frequency of the provided harmonic signal may be outputted based on the testing.

Abstract: A method for estimating the location of a sound source. First, a first microphone and a second microphone are moved relative to the sound source. Then the Intra-aural Time Difference (ITD) between the two microphones is measured. The moving and the measuring are repeated until the Intra-aural Time Difference (ITD) is smaller than a predefined threshold.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of determining an evidence value capturing whether two band-pass signals are harmonics of a common fundamental frequency. A further embodiment of the present invention evaluates the distance between significant points of a signal such as a sinusoidal signal. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of determining whether two or more band-pass signals are harmonics of a fundamental frequency, comprising evaluating a first distance between a first set of two or more significant points of a first band-pass signal, evaluating a second distance between a second set of two or more significant points of a second band-pass signal, and comparing the first distance to the second distance to determine whether the first and second signals are harmonics of the fundamental frequency.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of automated processing of speech signals and particularly to a method for tracking the formant frequencies in a speech signal, comprising the steps of: obtaining an auditory image of the speech signal; sequentially estimating formant locations; segmenting the frequency range into sub-regions; smoothing the obtained component filtering distributions; and calculating exact formant locations.

Abstract: A robotic controller using schemata, the schemata being a set of parameterized sequences of motor commands in order to make a robot to achieve a set goal, the parameters of the sequences being gained from the state variables of the robotic controller, a robotic controller comprising an interface for supplying sensory input to the robotic controller. A schemata state memory (1) structure supplied with either input from a schemata recognition module (4) or input from an inverse model module (2) or combinations of them. An inverse model module (2) for generating motor commands based on state variables and stored schemata, a forward model module (3) for predicting state variables based on state variables and stored schemata, and a schemata recognition module (4) for selecting a schemata based on supplied state variables of the robot controlled by the robotic controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to the control of an orienting/positioning system comprising comprising at least a sensor and an actuator for controlling an orienting and/or positioning action adapted to change an input space of the sensor. A first step evaluates pre-action output information of the sensor in order to detect a pre-action position of a manipulating device in the input space of the sensor. A second step decides on a targeted post-action position of the manipulating device in the input space of the sensor. A third step defines a command for the actuator by mapping any deviation of the pre-action position and the targeted post-action position in the input space of the sensor to actuator control coordinates using a predefined mapping function. A fourth step orients/positions the manipulating device according to the defined command in order to carry out the orienting/positioning action. A fifth step detects a real post-action position of the manipulating device in the input space of the sensor.

Abstract: A common problem in audio processing is that a useful signal is disturbed by one or more sinusoidal noises that should be suppressed. One embodiment of the invention provides a method of canceling a sinusoidal disturbance of unknown frequency in a disturbed useful signal. The method comprises the steps of estimating parameters of the sinusoidal disturbance including amplitude, phase and frequency; generating a reference signal on the basis of the estimated parameters; and subtracting the reference signal from the disturbed useful signal. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the estimation is performed by an Extended Kalman filter.

Abstract: The fundamental frequency of a harmonic signal is estimated by forming a fundamental frequency hypothesis (f0?). A comb filter is provided based on the fundamental frequency hypothesis. The harmonic signal is filtered using the comb filter. The fundamental frequency hypothesis is tested for each tooth in the comb filter. A signal indicating an estimated fundamental frequency of the provided harmonic signal may be outputted based on the testing.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of automated processing of speech signals and particularly to a method for tracking the formant frequencies in a speech signal, comprising the steps of: obtaining an auditory image of the speech signal; sequentially estimating formant locations; segmenting the frequency range into sub-regions; smoothing the obtained component filtering distributions; and calculating exact formant locations.

Abstract: A method and system for obtaining a pool of speech syllable models. The model pool is generated by first detecting a training segment using unsupervised speech segmentation or speech unit spotting. If the model pool is empty, a first speech syllable model is trained and added to the model pool. If the model pool is not empty, an existing model is determined from the model pool that best matches the training segment. Then the existing module is scored for the training segment. If the score is less than a predefined threshold, a new model for the training segment is created and added to the pool. If the score equals the threshold or is larger than the threshold, the training segment is used to improve or to re-estimate the model.

Abstract: Controlling an orienting/positioning system having a sensor and actuator for controlling at least one of an orienting and positioning action of the sensor. The invention (1) evaluates pre-action output information of a sensor in order to detect the position of a pattern in the input space of the sensor, (2) determines a targeted post-action position of the pattern in the input space of the sensor, (3) defines an actuator command by mapping any deviation of the pre-action and post action position in the input space to actuator control coordinates using a predefined mapping function, (4) controls the actuators according to the defined command to execute the orienting/positioning action, (5) detects the real post-action position of the pattern in an input space of the sensor, (6) adapts the mapping function based on differences between the real post-action position and the targeted post-action position of the pattern in the input space.

Abstract: An artificial ear for a robot comprises an auricle-shaped structure, a microphone which in a concha region of the auricle-shaped structure, wherein the lower or rear edge of the auricle-shaped structure forms acoustic shield for shadowing noise from any noise source located below or behind the concha region.

Abstract: A supporting head is provided with binaural artificial ears. Each binaural artificial ear comprises an auricle-shaped structure and a microphone. In order to enhance auditory localization cues, at least an upper part of the head is provided with an acoustically dampening surface.